Losing the Lords: Bid to reform UK’s upper chamber
Jun 26, 2012, 1:32 PM
LONDON (AP) – Britain’s governmentsays it is making a new attempt to drastically overhaul Britain’s 700-year-old upper chamber of Parliament, the House of Lords.
Prime Minister David Cameron’s office said Tuesday that plans will be published Wednesday which propose replacing unelected peers with a smaller number of mostly elected members who would serve a maximum term of 15 years.
Though 600 hereditary members were ejected in 1999, attempts to make more sweeping reforms have long been stalled amid complaints from the House of Lords.
Though the 825-member upper chamber does not make laws, it can amend legislation.
Cameron’s office said it would be prepared to deploy the rarely used Parliamentary Act, which allows the Commons to force through planned laws in spite of opposition in the Lords.
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